Weft-replenishing loom.



No. 664,347. Patentd nec. la, |900. J. v cuumrra G. o. DRAPEH.

WEFT REPLENISHING LOOM.

(Application filed July 9, 1900.) (No Model.) 2 Sheets-A-Sheei l.

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No. 664,3l7. Patented nec. I8, |900. .1. v. cuNNlFF c. G. o. DRAPER.

`WEFT REPLENISHING LUOM.-

(Application med .my 9, 1900.) (No Model.) 2 Sheetsf-Sheet 2.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOI-IN' V. CUNNIFF, OF BEDFORD, AND GEORGE O. DRAPER, OF

HOPEDALE, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNORS TO THE DRAPER COM- PANY, OF PORTLAND, MAINE, AND HOPEDALE, MASSACHUSETTS.

.WEFT-REPLENISMHING LOOM.

SPECIFICATION forming part of `Letters Patent No. 664,317, dated December 18, 1900. A Application led July 9, 1900. Serial No. 22,958. (No model.)

To @ZZ whom, t may concern:

Be it known that we, JOHN V. CUNNIFF, a resident. of New Bedford, county of Bristol, and GEORGE O. DRAPER, a resident of Hopedale, county of Worcester, State. of Massachusetts, citizens ofthe United States, have invented an Improvement' in Automatic Weft-Replenishing Looms, of which the fol- The lay in accordance with our invention is provided at one end with the usual form of shuttle-box, and a feeder is located adjacent the other end of the lay, which has no fixed shuttle-box: The feeder is adapted to support a series of shuttle-carriers, each containing a shuttle and which is transferable by suitable means from the feeder to the adjacent end ofthe lay when change of filling is necessary, the transferred shuttle-carrier being automatically locked in position on the lay to serve as a shuttle-box at that end thereof. When the supply of filling in the shuttle in use has become exhausted or breaks, the transferring means is operated automatically to transfer another shuttle-carrier and its shuttle from the feeder to the lay, the incomwhen it is necessary to replenish the filling automatic type have been provided with means for automatically inserting into operative position on the lay a shuttle containing a fresh supply of filling when the filling in the previously-used shuttle has broken or become exhausted; and so,too,looms of this type have been devised wherein the shuttle is not changed, but a fresh supply of filling mounted on a suitable filling-carrier `is' automatically transferred tothe shuttle when the previousy vided with filling-changing mechanism adapted to change the filling in one and the same shuttle is shown and described, and certain features of the construction shown in that patent will be referred to hereinafter as being very similar.

In our present invention we have departed quite widely from either of the species of automatic looms hereinbefore mentioned, inasmuch as while we herein change the shuttles we also change with such shuttle a shuttlebox.

ing of the new carrier and its shuttle acting ,upon the carrier then locked in the lay to Various novel features of o ur invention will be hereinafter described, and particularly pointed out in the following claims.

Figure l is a right-hand end elevation of a sufficient portion of a looin to be understood with one embodiment of our invention applied thereto, the lay being shown as forward and in position to receive a fresh supply of filling. Fig. 2 is a front elevation of the mechanism shown in Fig. l in similarposition, a portion of the feeder being shown in section. Fig. 3 is a top or plan View of the mechanism shown in Fig. l. Fig. fl is atop or plan View of the end of the lay adjacent the feeder, showing a shuttle-carrier in 0perative position andillustrating the operation of the binder. Fig. 5 is a front elevation of the lay, the sh uttle-carrier and its shuttle be-V ing shown in dotted lines. Fig. 6 is a perspective View, on an enlarged scale and cen trally broken out, of the feeder. Fig. 7 is a perspective view of one ofthe shuttle-carriers; and Fig. 8 is a transverse sectional detail on the line m w, Fig. 5, to show more clearly one of the locking-fingers in cooperation with the shuttle-carrier.

The loom -fraine A, the breast-beam A40, and the major part of the lay A3 may be and are IOO substantially of usual or well-known construction, with the exception that at one end, herein shown as the right-hand end, thelay is not provided with any shuttle-box, but iustead it is provided with a back wall a, cut away between its ends from its top downward to leave an opening a and upright portions ct2, the front faces of the latter being provided with upright open-ended and undercut grooves a3, the vertical back or bottom of each groove being recessed, as at 0.4, to receive a spring-linger a5, the' free ends of the fingers being bent, as best shown in Fig. 8,

and normally projecting beyond the bottom or back of the groove, the back wall, constructed as described, constituting, with the spring-fingers, an upright holding device on the lay. On the outer end of the back wall are formed ears a6, between which is fulcrumed, at al, an arm b, extended behind the upright portions a2 and bent forwardly, as at bX, (see Fig. 4,) to enter'the space ot' between the uprights, the free inner end of the arm being acted upon by a finger b', secured to the usual protector-shaft b2, mounted on the lay and provided with a dagger b3 to coperate with the usual frog b4, if the shuttle is improperly boxed, in well-known manner, a spring s on the protector-rod normally pressing the arm b inward. The bent-in portion bx of said arm acts as a binder to engage the shuttle, as will be hereinafter more clearly set forth.

The picker-stick P, provided with a pickel" PX, of usual construction, is operated by any suitable or well-known picking mechanism, (not herein shown,) the stick being guided by a rigid metal strap p, secured to the back wall .a of the lay, as shown:

The arch AX of the loom-frame is herein shown as having mounted upon it a feeder, said feeder (shown separatelyin Fig. 6) comprising end members f, connected to back plates f', the said back plates being held to,- gether by cross-barsf2, one of the back plates having a laterally-extended flange fx secured thereto at its back, through which suitable bolts 3 are passed to secure the feeder to the arch. The end members f of the feeder are shown as vertical for a portion of their length, and at their lower portions they are bent or extended lforward, as at f3, to occupy a position substantially over the lay when the latter is in its extreme forward position, as shown in Fig. l, and the inner face of eachA member is provided with a guide, herein shown as a groove f4, conforming to the general shape ofl the end members, the lower or delivery ends of the grooves, however, being substantially vertical, as at f5, Fig. 6. The end members are apertured, as at f7, (see Fig. 2,) to receive a detent fs, each detent being shown as the inturned end of a spring fg, secured to the exterior of the end, the inner end of the detent being beveled, as shown iu Fig. 2, for a purpose to be described.

In ourpresent invention each shuttle S is mounted in a shuttle=carrier which after the same has been transferred to the lay serves as a sh uttle-box for one end thereof, and we have herein shown the shuttle-carriers as openended boxes C, shorter than the shuttle, so that the latter projects beyond the ends of the boxes, as clearly shown in the drawings, the tips of the shuttles entering the guide-grooves f4 of the feeder and directing the movements of the shuttles and their carriers while in the feeder.

Referring now to Fig. 7, each shuttle-carrier has a recess or binder-opening c in its upright back wall and two dovetailed projections c', corresponding in shape to the shape of the grooves a3 in the back wall of the lay, and a substantially U -shaped depression c2 is formed in the back of each projection. The lower edge ofthe binder-opening c is beveled or rounded, as at c3, Fig. 7, for a purpose to be described, and one end of the carrier-viz., its outer end relative to the layis longitudinally slotted, as at 0X.

Referring now toFig. l, wherein a series of shuttle-carriers and their contained shuttles are shown in the feeder, the lowermost carrier of the series is held in position to be transferred by the detents f8 engaging the tips of the lowermost shuttle, and said carrier is held from rotative movement by `the carrier next above it and which it partially supports, the tips of the shuttle in said next carrier being in engagement with the inclined portions of the guide-grooves f4 of the feeder. Above the second carrier a plurality of shuttlc-carriers are shown resting squarely one upon the other, and they are held accurately in position by means of the back portion f' of the feeder. When the tips of a shuttle pass from the upright portions of the grooves f4 into the inclined portions, the lower back edge of the carrier will rest against the inclined faces f2() of the feeder and will be held from any possible rotative movement. Supposing now that the parts are in the position shown in Figs. l, 2, and 3 and that a shuttle-carrier is in operative position on the lay, its projecting portions c', fitting into the grooves a3 of the back wall and being locked in position by the spring-ngers a5, then if the filling breaks or fails in the shuttle then in use a fresh supply of filling will beneeded.

Before describing the transferring mechanism it is to be observed that the shuttle-carrier when in operative position on the lay cannot move longitudinally on account of the cooperating guide-grooves a3 and projections c', but it can move vertically if sufficient force is applied to the carrier to overcome the action of the locking devices or fingers a5.

In a bearing A10 on the breast-beam a rockshaft tx Vis mounted, said shaft having secured toit two parallel arms t, which constitute the transferrer, the free ends of the arms extending above the lowermost carrier in the feeder,

, as shown in Fig. 1, the said arms having segmental enlargements t for a purpose to be de- IOO scribed. At theopposite end, projectingbeyond the bearing A10, the rock-shaft is provided with a spring S5, one end being fixed and its other end secured to a cap t2, fast on the shaft, the spring normally maintaining the transfer-rer in the position shown in the drawings. The hub t3 of a depending arm t* is secured to the rock-shaft, and a headed rocker-stud m, surrounded by a spring s6, is mounted on the arm, one end of the spring being attached to the head of the stud and the other end to the arm t, normally tending to turn the stud in the direction of arrow 10, Fig. l, the stud having secured to it an arm m2, provided with a lateral lng m4, a notched dog frnX being adjustably secured to the arm m2, substantially as in United States Patent No. 628,228, dated July 4E, 1899, the dog when moved into operative position being engaged by a bunter C2 on the lay when a change of filling is to be effected.

The shaft d, Figs, l, 2, and 3, adapted to be rot-ated by the movement of the weft-fork in the absence of the filling, is substantially as shown in United States Patent No. 529,940, referred to, the rock-shaft being operated in practice as in said patent, and said rock-shaft is herein shown as provided with a detentfinger dx, normally maintained in the position shown by a strong spring d3, attached at its ends to the detent-finger and to the frame, respectively, the detent-finger normally engaging a part ofa yoke comprising arms y y, the upper end ofthe arm y being bent to form a shuttlefeeler yx, while the other arm y directly engages the iugm4 on the dog-supporting arm 'm2, as in United States Patent No. 628,228, hereinbefore referred to. If now the rock-shaft d/ is turned in the direction of the arrow 20, Fig. l., upon failure of the filling, as in any of the patents referred to, the detentinger ol will be raised against the stress of the spring cl3, so that the yoke will be released and the action of the spring s6 will operate to not only swing the dog'm into operative position, but the yoke will be swung on its pivot @/20, and if the shuttle is properly positioned the feeler yX can swing through, its full detecting movement, the controlling-arm y beingthereby moved sufliciently to permit the positioning of the dog mx in the path of the bunter C2 as the lay comes forward. Such engagement of the dog and bunter will operate to turn the rock-shaft X to depress the arms t, and the lowermost ends of their heads t will engage the top of the lowermost shuttle-carrier in the feeder, and the latter will be moved downward into engagement.

with the top of the shuttle-carrier then on the lay, and as the downward movement of the transferring-arms continnes the last-named shuttle-carrier and its shuttle vwill be pushed Ydownward and released from the lay, while the new shuttle-carrier will be moved to operative position, the locking-lingers a5 automatically springing into place at the proper time. This operation is performed while the lay is in the position shown in Fig. 1, and the transferrer rises to its normal position as the lay goes back. The shuttle-carrier thus locked on the lay thereupon becomes a shuttle-boX for its shuttle and continues to serve as one of the shuttle-boxes until ejected from the lay by the transfer of a new -shuttle-carrier. When the rock-shaft d is rotated, as has been described, the shuttle is in its carrier shuttleboX, and if it is properly therein the feeler /Lz/X can swing across the shuttle-path when the yoke is permitted to move forward. Should the shuttle fail to properly enter its box-like carrier, the feeler 4y will engage the` shuttle, and the movement of the yoke toward the lay will be prevented, and consequently the dog mx will be permitted to move into position in the path of the Vbunter C2, and a change of filling-that is to say, a transfer of a shuttlecarrier and its shuttle-will not be permitted. When the transferrer-armst descend to transfer the lowermost shuttle-carrier, the curved edges of the segmental heads t bear against the front wall of the next shuttle-carrier in the feeder and prevent it sliding down to the delivery end of the feeder until the transfer has been effected and the transferrer has returned to normal position. The second shuttlc-carrier then moves into position, with its shuttle-tips in engagementwith the detents f8 to be transferred when another change of filling is to be effected, moving down a step inthe feeder.

When a shuttle-carrier is transferred, as hasv been described, the beveled edge c3 of the bottom of the shuttle-carrier wipes over the bent portion 19X of the binder and forces it downward snfliciently to permit the entry of the shuttle-carrier into position to be locked on the lay, after which the spring s on the protector-rod swings the binder inward into position against the side of the shuttle.

When the feeder is filled, a shuttle is inserted in each carrier, and the free end of the filling is drawn out and attached to anysuitable part of the feeder-as, for instance, to a pin or stud 45-and after any particular shuttle has been transferred from the feeder to the lay the end between the stud 45 and the cloth will be broken off after one or two picks. This construction obvates the automatic threading of a shuttle after it has been positioned on the lay, and because the shuttles will be threaded before they are inserted IOO IIO

in their carriers misthreading will be entirely prevented.

It will be seen that a comparatively small number of shuttle-carriers can be used for each loom, the ejected shuttle-carrier being picked up and loaded with a fresh shuttle and then replaced in the feeder at the upper end of the series of carriers therein.

The slot 0X in the bottom of each carrier permits the inward swing of the picker-stick when the shuttle is thrown from its carrier shuttle-box across the lay.

If the shuttle does not enter the shuttlebox far enough to engage the binder, the protector rod or shaft b2 Will be rocked, as is usual in looms, to effect engagement of the dagger and frog to stop the loom.

Our invention is not restricted to the precise construction and arrangement herein shown, as various modifications or changes may be made therein by those skilled in the art Without departing from the spirit and scope of our invention.

Having described our invention, what We claim as-new, and-desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

l. In a loom, the lay, a plurality of shuttlecarriers each containing a shuttle, a feeder for the carriers, and a transferrer to transfer the carriers singly into operative position on the lay, the carrier serving as a shuttle-box after transfer.

2. In aloom, the lay, a plurality of shuttlecarriers each containing a shuttle, a feeder for the carriers, means to transfer the carriers singly to the lay, the carrier serving as a shuttle-box after transfer, and means to automatically lock the carrier in position on the lay.

3. In a loom, the lay, a plurality of shuttlecarriers each containing a shuttle, a feeder therefor, means operative upon` filling failure to transfer a carrier to the lay to serve as a shuttle-box for its contained shuttle, means to direct the'carrier into position on the lay, and a locking device to retain it in position until displaced by the incoming carrier.A

4. In a loom, the lay, a plurality of shuttlecarriers each containin ga shuttle, and having a binder-opening, a feeder for the carriers, a transferrer to transfer a carrier to the lay, a binder on the latter, to act upon the shuttle through the binder-opening of the carrier,and means to automatically lock the carrier in operative position to serve as a shuttle-box.

5. In a loom, the lay, a feeder, a plurality of open-ended shuttle-carriers mounted therein and adapted each to receive a shuttle, guides on the feeder to engage the projecting shuttle-tips and direct the movement of the carriers, and a transferrer to engage the carriers singly and transfer them from the feeder to the lay.

6. In a loom, the lay, a plurality of openended shuttle-carriers adapted each to receive a shuttle, a feeder for the carriers, having guides to engage the projecting shuttletips an'd direct the movement of the carriers, means to retain in position the carrier next to be transferred, and a transferrer to transfer such carrier to the lay, the carrier thereupon serving asa shuttle-box.

7. In a loom, the lay having an upright guide at one end, a plurality of carriers each containing a shuttle and provided with means to cooperate with said guide, a feeder to support the carriers, and a transferrer to transfer the carriers singly to the lay, the guide thereupon directing the carrier into operative position on the lay to serve as a shuttle-box.

8. In a loom, the lay having a shuttle-box at one end thereof, a series of transferable carriers adapted each to receive a shuttle, a feeder to sustain the carriers When not in use, adjacent the opposite end of the lay, means to effect the transfer of a carrier and its shuttle from the feeder to the lay upon failure of the filling, and means to retain the carrier in position on the lay to serve as a shuttle-box for its shuttle until positively displaced by transfer of another carrier.

9. In a loom, the lay having a shuttle-box at one end thereof, a series of transferable carriers adapted each to'receive a shuttle, a feeder to sustain the carriers when not in use, adjacent the opposite end of the lay, means to effect the transfer of a carrier and its shuttle from the feeder to the lay upon failure of the filling, means to rigidly hold the carrier from longitudinal movement when positioned lon the lay, and a yielding locking device to hold the carrier in position to serve as a shuttle-box for its shuttle until positively displaced by transfer of another carrier.

10. In a loom, the lay having a shuttle-box at one end thereof, a series of transferable carriers adapted each to receive a shuttle, a feeder to sustain the carriers when not in use, adjacent the opposite end of the lay, means to effect the transfer of a carrier and its shuttle from the feeder to the lay upon failure of the filling, open, upright guideways on the lay, projections on the back of each carrier to enter said guideways when the carrier is transferred, and locking means to retain the carrier in position on the lay to serve as a shuttle-box.

ll. In an automatic filling-changing loom, the lay, a plurality of shuttle-carriers each adapted to receive a shuttle, a feeder for-the carriers, having a guide for the latter and also having guides to engage the projecting shuttle-tips, the former guide preventing rotative movementof the carriers and the latter directing bodily movement of the carriers and their contained shuttles, and means to effect the transfer from the feeder to the lay of a carrier having a shuttle provided with a supply of filling, each carrier when in operative position on lay serving as a shuttle-box for its shuttle.

l2. In a loom, the lay having an upright holding device at one end, a series of carriers each adapted to contain a fullshuttle, a feeder for the carriers, and means to transfer the carriers one by one to the lay and into operative engagement with the holding device, to

thereafter serve as a shuttle-box for its shuttle, the carrier transferred to the lay acting to eject from the holding device the carrier and its shuttle previously transferred.

13. In a loom, the lay having a shuttle-box at one end, afeeder adjacent the opposite end, a plurality of transferable carriers mounted therein and each adapted to contain a shuttle, means to transfer the carriers singly from the feeder to the lay, and means on the lay to IOO IIO

engage the exterior of a carrier and maintain it in position on the lay to serve as a shuttleboX for its shuttle.

14. In a loom, the lay having a shuttle-box at one end, a feeder adjacent the opposite end, a plurality of transferable carriers mounted therein and each adapted to contain a shuttle, means to transfer the carriers singly from the feeder to the lay, means o'n the lay to eX- ternally engage the back of a carrier and position it on the lay when transferred, and a spring-*linger to automatically engage the carrier when transferred and retain it in operative position on the lay until positively removed therefrom.

15. In a loom, the lay having a shuttle-box permanently mounted on one end thereof, a shuttle-carrier adapted to contain a shuttle and transferable into operative position at the other end of the lay, to serve as a shuttle-box for its shuttle, a support for the carrier when inoperative, and means to effect transfer of the carrier from the support to the lay.

16. In a loom, the lay having a shuttle-box permanently mounted on one end thereof, a shuttle-carrier adapted to contain a shuttle and transferable into operative position at the other end of the lay, to serve as a shuttle-box for its shuttle, a support for the carrier when inoperative, means to effect transfer of the carrier from the support to the lay, a binder on the adjacent end of the lay,to coperatie with the shuttle of a transferred carrier, and means to retain the latter in position to serve as a shuttle-box for its shuttle until positively displaced.

17. In apparatus of the class described, a feeder comprising connected members having gnideways on their inner faces, carrier-guides between the end members, and a plurality of open-ended shuttle-carriers adapted each to contain a shuttle, the projecting tips coperating with the guideways to direct the movement of the carriers and their shuttles, the carrier-guides acting upon the carriers to prevent rotativemovement thereof, and detents at the delivery ends of the guideways to normally engage the shuttle of the endmost carrier and reta-in it and the series of carriers in the feeder.

18. In apparatus of the class described, a series 0f carriers each adapted to contain a shuttle with its tips projecting beyond the carrier, a feeder to support the carriers, said feeder having means to engage the projecting shuttle-tips to direct the movement of the carriers, and yielding detents to retain the endmost carrier and its shuttle in position to be removed from the feeder.

19. The lay having an upright, centrallyapertured back piece at one end, said back piece having upright, undercut grooves in its front face, a binder mounted on the lay, a shuttle-carrier adapted to receive a shuttle, the carrier having a binder-opening and projections on its back to enter the grooves of `the back piece; and a device to lock the carback to enter the said grooves, and a spring-` iinger located in the bottom of each groove to engage the corresponding projection on the carrier and maintain it in position on the lay to serve as a shuttle-box for its shuttle.

21. In a loom, the lay having a shuttle-box at one end, afeeder located opposite the other end thereof, a series of open-ended, box-like shuttle-carriers each adapted to contain a shuttle, said carriers being supported by the feeder, each 'carrier having a longitudinal slot in its bottom at its outer end, means to transfer the carriers and their shuttles one by one to the lay, means to retain a transferred carrier in position on the lay to serve as a shuttle-box for its shuttle, and a pickerstick movable in the slot in the bottom of the carrier to throw the shuttle therefrom across the lay.

22. The lay, a feeder having its delivery end overhanging the lay when forward, a plurality of shuttle-carriers su pported in the feeder andV movable by gravity toward its delivery end, means to yieldingly maintain the lowermost carrier of the series in position, and a transferrer to transfer the endmost carrier from the feeder to the lay.

23. The lay, a feeder having its delivery end overhanging the lay when forward, a plurality of shuttle-carriers supported in the feeder and movable by gravity toward its delivery end, each carrier being adapted to contain a shuttle, a detent device for the lowermost carrier of the series, and a transferrer comprising two connected,pivotally-mounted arms adapted to engage the lowermost carrier and transfer it from the feeder to the lay.

24. The lay, a feeder having its delivery end overhanging the lay when forward, a plurality of shuttle-carriers supported in the feeder and movable by gravity toward its delivery end, each carrier being adapted to contain a shuttle, a detent device for the lowermost carrier of the series, means on the adjacent end of the lay to engage a carrier when transferred thereto and prevent its longitudinal movement, a locking device to engage the carrier when positioned on the lay, and a transferrer to transfer the shuttlecarriers singly from the feeder to the lay.

25. In a loom, the lay, a stationary feeder adjacent one end thereof, a series of shuttlecarriers adapted to be supported by the feeder, each carrier containing a shuttle, guides on the feeder to operate with the shuttle-tips and direct the carriers, the latter being moved by gravityinto transferring po- IOO IIO

IZO

sition, and means to transfer the endmost. carrier, and its shuttle from the feeder to the lay.

26.- In a loom, the lay, a series of Carriers each adapted to hold a shuttle, means operative upon failure of the lling to automatically transfer the carriers one by one into position on the lay, to serve as a shuttle-box for its shuttle, and means to look a carrier to the lay until displaced by the transfer of the next carrier..

In testimony whereof We have signed our names to this specification in the preseneeof two subscribing Witnesses.

JOHN V. CUNNIFF.

GEORGE O. DRAPER. Witnesses for Cunni:

WILLIAM B. SMITH, JoHN H. PoLLooK. Witnesses for Draper:

JOHN C. EDWARDS, AUGUSTA E. DEAN. 

